The Israeli military has targeted the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip in response to shell attack from the territory of the enclave, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
Tensions repeatedly flare up in the region, resulting in both Israeli and Palestinian casualties. Some of the most recent spikes in violence took place in August. On 26 August Israeli aircraft struck a base of the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire from the territory of the enclave, as the IDF claims.
On 11 August, a Palestinian man was killed by a gunshot in the east of Beit Hanoun. According to the IDF, they responded with fire at "an armed terrorist" from Gaza when he approached the border fence with Israel and "opened fire at IDF troops".